[Cultural Excursion] 'Fortress Amid Markets: Exploring East (and West) of Dongdaemun'

Name: [Cultural Excursion] 'Fortress Amid Markets: Exploring East (and West) of Dongdaemun'
Start: 2025-10-11T14:00:00+09:00
End: 2025-10-11T17:00:00+09:00
Location: Sinseol-dong Station

Schedule

Sat Oct 11 2025 at 02:00 pm to 05:00 pm

UTC+09:00

Location

Sinseol-dong Station | Seoul, KG

TITLE:
'Fortress Amid Markets: Exploring East (and West) of Dongdaemun'
LEADER: Matt VanVolkenburg
DATE: Saturday. October 11, 2025. 2:00-5:00PM
DESTINATION: Dongdaemun area
COST: W25,000 for RAS Korea Lifetime and Annual Members; W30,000 for Non-members
MEETING POINT: At the top of Exit 10 of Sinseol-dong Station (신설동역) #126 (Subway Line No. 1) and # 211-4 (Line No. 2 spur line) at 2:00PM.
RSVP by October 9 (Thursday) with payment of the fee via bank transfer. Please register one RSVP at a time.
RSVP Link: https://forms.gle/vEsZX8qR8AWDYMAj6
☞ Payment to be remitted to the following account:
SHINHAN BANK ACCOUNT # 100-026-383501 (RAS-KB)
*Reservation is not confirmed until payment has been received by RAS Korea in advance of the event.

SUMMARY:
The area between Sinseol-dong and Jongno 5-ga, through which remnants of the Seoul fortress wall and its gates run, is peppered with a variety of markets and vanished pieces of urban infrastructure. In addition to Dongdaemun Market, DDP, and the Dongmyo Flea Market, there are also markets dedicated to toys, shoes, and pet birds and fish, and in the area around the Seoul Flea Market almost anything you can think of – from tools and audio and video cassettes to old electronics, LPs and antiques – is available for sale. Various alleys also focus on certain foods, such as grilled mackerel or chicken.
This walk will explore these markets, examine the history of the eastern part of Seoul’s fortress wall, and tell stories of a vanished railway and elevated highway, as well as other long-gone prominent landmarks. We will also consider the history of the Peace Market, where clothing was made in sweatshop conditions, and visit a memorial to labor martyr Jeon Tae-il.
Leaving from Sinseol-dong Station, we will visit the Seoul Flea Market, the Dongmyo Flea Market, the Dongmyo Shrine, the Samil Apartments, several food alleys, markets dedicated to pets, toys, and shoes, Dongdaemun Market, the Dongdaemun Stadium Museum, Igansumun water gate, the Peace Market, the Chun Tae-il statue, Jongno Sinjin Market, Dongdaemun, and finish at the City Wall Museum.
This walking excursion will set off at 2:00 pm from the top of Exit 10 of Sinseol-dong Station (신설동역, Subway Line No. 1 and 2). The excursion will last until about 5:00 and end near Dongdaemun Station (Subway Lines 1 and 4). Participants may join Matt afterwards for a coffee or an early dinner (not included in the excursion fee) nearby. Though the walk is flat, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.